inhale

verb

in·​hale in-ˈhāl 

inhaled; inhaling

transitive verb

1

: to draw in by breathing

2

: to take in eagerly or greedily

… inhaled about four meals at once.

—Ring Lardner

intransitive verb

: to breathe in

inhale

in-ˈhāl 

ˈin-ˌhāl

noun

Synonyms of inhale

• devour
• gulp
• cram

Examples of inhale in a Sentence

This medicine can now be inhaled.

She inhaled the fresh country air.

He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to relax.

After inhaling their dinner, the children ran out the door without even saying goodbye.

Recent Examples on the Web

Because the high is brief, users may repeatedly inhale the substance over a short period of time, which increases the risk of toxicity. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 15 May 2026

Rather than burn tobacco, e-cigarettes heat up a liquid consisting of nicotine, flavorings and additives that are inhaled as vapor. —Aria Bendix, NBC news, 15 May 2026

Vaping refers to the practice of inhaling vapor through e-cigarettes or vape pens. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

They’re spread primarily when droppings, urine or saliva get kicked into the air and inhaled — such as when sweeping up mouse droppings. —Allison Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

in- + exhale

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for inhale

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

inhale

verb

in·​hale in-ˈhā(ə)l 

inhaled; inhaling

1

: to draw in by breathing

2

: to breathe in

Medical Definition

inhale

verb

in·​hale in-ˈhā(ə)l 

inhaled; inhaling

transitive verb

: to draw in by breathing

intransitive verb

: to breathe in